A burn permit is required for all outside burning in the City of Kenora. When a city-wide fire ban is issued, or a Restrict Fire Zone is declared by the Province, all burn permits are cancelled and no outside burning or firework displays are allowed.

Purchase a burn permit

Apply for a burn permit at City Hall located at 1 Main Street South, call 807-467-2000.

The permit is valid from January 1 to December 31.

Special occasion permits are issued by the Fire Chief. Contact the Fire Chief for more information.

Fees

It costs $20 to purchase a burn permit.

Evening burning

From April 1 to October 31, you cannot burn during the day. You can start burning in the evening two hours before sunset until two hours after sunrise.

Burning permit rules

Review the City of Kenora's Open Burning Permit By-law for a full list of burning rules and regulations. Once you receive a burn permit, you must follow these rules:

• Your permit allows you to burn one fire at any one time
• Please consider the weather and wind conditions before burning
• You must have access to enough water and tools to contain the fire and put the fire out
• You must call the Fire Dispatch number on your permit before you start to burn and again after the fire is out

In a single pile less than 2 m in diameter and less than 2 m high, and at least 10 m away from any flammable materials, you can burn:

• Standing dry grass
• Wood or wood byproducts
• Small brush piles
• Untreated lumber

Campfires

You do not need a burn permit for:

• A fire used for cooking food on a grill or barbeque
• Personal warmth
• Entertainment.

Recreational or campfires must not be larger than 1 m round and 1/2 meter high, and contained by rock, metal, or cement. Campfires must be monitored at all times. Always have enough water to put the fire out.

Fireworks

You do not need a burn permit to display fireworks. However, fireworks are only allowed between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. on:

• New Year's Eve
• New Year's Day
• Victoria Day
• Canada Day
• Labour Day
• U.S. Independence Day

Fire bans and restricted fire zone (RFZ)

When a city-wide fire ban is issued, or a Restrict Fire Zone is declared by the Province, all burn permits are cancelled and no outside burning or firework displays are allowed.

What you can use

As per the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF), when in a RFZ, you can use: 

Gas or fuel stove

If you need heat for cooking or warmth in a RFZ, you can only use:

• a portable liquid fuel or gas stove (for example, barbeque), that can be turned off easily by closing a shut-off valve or lid
• the stove must be at least 1 metre away from any naturally occurring flammable material

Charcoal

You can use a charcoal installation in a RFZ for cooking or warmth, only if you are within 100 metres of a permanent structure used as a dwelling and are on land that you legally occupy.

Your charcoal installation must be:

• at least 1 metre from any naturally occuring flammable material
• designed to use commercially produced charcoal as fuel
• using commercially produced charcoal as fuel
• completely extinguished and all ashes and coals safely disposed of before installation is moved or left unattended

Wood burning stove or furnace

You can use an outdoor wood burning stove or furnace only if you are within 100 metres of a permanent structure used as a dwelling and are on land that you legally occupy.

Your wood burning installation must be:

• at least 5 metres from any wildland area (including grass, brush and forest)
• at least 2 metres from any flammable material
• situated on bare rock, mineral, soil or other material that won’t burn and extends 2 metres around the stove or furnace in all directions
• designed to be used for cooking or warmth
• designed to use wood as the fuel source and wood is being used as the fuel
• made entirely of non-combustible material
• enclosed the fire on all sides with solid material
• equipped with working spark arresting devices for all vents and chimneys
• if the wood burning stove is portable, all ashes and coals produced are completely extinguished and safely disposed of before the stove is moved